I Have Always Loved You (Kyo x Tohru)

Chapter-4: Abandoned

It's been over a week since Tohru started living in Shigure's house. Everything was good and nice, except she keeps discovering new things about Kyo.

Good things, actually. And it only makes her fall harder for him.

But it's getting harder to keep her feelings in check when she sees him so much more often. He's the first person she sees after waking up. Dressed in running clothes and sneakers, coming back from his morning run. Kyo may seem like an extrovert, but he's actually an introvert at heart. Staying with people all day exhausts him. He needs his 'me' time to get going. But he's so busy all day with school, basketball, dojo, homework, and hangouts with friends or cousins. The early hours of the day are his 'me' time.

Plus, she found out he's always in the natural best mood in the morning. She's glad that she gets to see it now at home. This is so much better than living at Grandpa's place with her relatives.

Right now, Tohru is sitting at the bleachers with her two female best friends, her eyes following Kyo as he is practicing basketball with the others. She has long zoned out of their conversation. A dazed smile tugging at her lips.

"Geez, girl, you gotta do something about that crush of yours on Carrots," Arisa exclaims in annoyance.

"Uo-chan, shhhh!" Tohru hisses at her to quiet down, blushing full red for being caught in the middle of staring at Kyo.

"What shhh? I'm gonna yell so loud that Carrots can hear it and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!" she yells the last part, attracting the attention of all the players on the court.

"Oi, lower your voice, Yankee! You just made me miss my point!'" Kyo yells.

"It was meant for that!" Arisa yells back.

"If you're just here to annoy me, then get the hell out!"

"Oh, don't be mistaken. I'm only here for Tohru. Who cares about your dumb practice?"

Tick marks appear on Kyo's forehead as he leaves the court and approaches the bleachers to engage in a head on argument with Arisa. They both start shouting at each other's faces, spitting all the curses they have in their vocabulary.

Tohru is waving her hands around, trying to stop two of her best friends from strangling each other. She knows this is how they bond, but she can't help but worry.

"Dear Tohru, let's venture somewhere where we shall not be infected by their filthy exchange of words," Saki says and tugs Tohru to the farther seats, away from Kyo and Arisa.

"But Hana-chan—"

"It's okay, dear Tohru. I want to talk to you about something."

Tohru gulps as Saki sounds serious. Once they are seated far away from the commotion, Saki starts, "What are you going to do about your crush on Kyo?"

Tohru had a feeling that this was about it. So she sighs and buries her face in her hands. "I don't know, Hana-chan." She really doesn't. She wants to do something too. But no idea what.

"Do you have any plans to get into a relationship with him?" Saki implores.

Tohru's heart skips at the thought. "Like... Kyo being my boyfriend?" she asks skeptically, and Saki nods curtly. Tohru blushes from her neckline to her face. It's not that she hasn't fantasized countless times about how it would be like to have Kyo as her boyfriend, even as far as to picture him as her husband or the father of her kids. After all, she really can spend the rest of her life with him. At the same time, she's scared. "I'm scared to ruin my friendship with him..."

Tohru feels tears sting her eyes because the thought of being pushed away by Kyo is terrifying. Saki pats her shoulders, giving her the time to compose herself.